Answer the question you selected for profile question 3 here (300 words):
My advice for students interested in scientific careers is to figure out what you are most interested in. When I entered college, I knew I wanted to study plants and/or animals, but I did not know anything more detailed than that. As I took classes, interned in a research lab, read scientific articles, and spoke with my advisors, I slowly narrowed down what I am most interested in. The most defining moment came when my wonderful undergraduate research advisor, who had been discussing the articles I was reading, said something along the lines of, “I’ve noticed that even when you read a paper about a different topic, you are most curious about the implications for plant ecophysiology.” I had not noticed that myself, but after she said that, it became clearer and clearer to me that my passion lies in understanding how a plant’s structure and function responds to its environment, and how plants can thrive in such diverse environments, from deserts to rainforest. In hindsight, it seems so obvious. However, it had taken me years to discover exactly what I want to dedicate my life to learning. All the time spent wondering, reading different articles, and trying different things was incredibly worth it, because it is my passion for plant ecophysiology that brings me back to the lab or field day after day, excited about what I might discover.